


Smoke and Mirrors

by Tarlan



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: M/M, Plot What Plot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-02-04
Updated: 2008-02-04
Packaged: 2017-10-20 03:01:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/208076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And to what might I owe the pleasure of your company, Mr. Larabee? A game of chance, perhaps?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Smoke and Mirrors

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the MB/Mag7 BEATS Challenge: 5. Use of mirrors for cheating at cards.

He chose this seat for a reason, knowing the slightly defective mirror behind the bar bowed in just the right amount on either side to give him the occasional glimpse of the cards held in the hands of anyone in the two poker seats opposite. It wasn't much but his mother had taught him to use every edge when gambling rather than rely solely on the traditional cheats and slights of hand. Sometimes he gained no benefit at all, such as when someone held their cards close to their vest but at other times, like today, he was blessed with hand after hand as the two inebriated cowboys opposite let their cards sway right into the mirrors path. Ezra had learned long ago not to take too strong an advantage of such a blessing, aware that by allowing his marks to win a small hand once in a while, he kept their interest going, and loosened more money from their purses. These two had ridden into town with a small trail and the rest of their colleagues were otherwise entertained at the bar or with one of the few respectable whores that managed to make a business in the town beneath the nose of Mary Travis.

His eyesight was sharp, able to make out the large markings on the cards even through the thick smoke coiling up from cigars and oil lamps burning. This would be the final hand because he'd seen the slightly younger of the two grizzled cowboys digging around his pockets for that last cent, and a quick glance revealed the cards fanned out in the man's grubby hand. The other man had his hand on display too, and Ezra knew he had them both beat. All he had to do was convince them to add those last few cents to the pot and then reach over and take it.

He kept his face pleasantly blank but inside his heart was racing, head almost exploding from the sheer pleasure of the coming kill, aware that it was just as sexual in nature as he felt his cock twitch and harden in his pants with barely suppressed excitement. He'd never lost control of himself and usually excused himself after a well-fought poker game, retiring to his room to deal with the dull ache that came once the win-high dissipated.

"Two pairs, Kings over Tens."

"Damn! You sure is lucky, mister."

"Practice," he stated wryly as he scooped the money towards him, knowing it would pay for more than a new linen shirt. "Another game, Gentlemen?"

"Hell, mister, you done cleaned me out!"

The man pushed back from the table, shaking his head as he and his companion part-staggered away into the crowded saloon with what remained of the whiskey in their bottle. Ezra finished pocketing the money and then picked up his cards, smiling in pleasure as he shuffled them with expert grace, waiting for his erection to flag a little before he pushed up from his seat to take himself off for a different kind of Solitaire that didn't involve cards. He raised both eyebrows as Chris slid into the seat beside him.

"And to what might I owe the pleasure of your company, Mr. Larabee? A game of chance, perhaps?"

It was the last thing Ezra wanted right this moment, his skin buzzing and crawling with a need to find release but he could never turn down any opportunity to indulge in the man's company. If anything, the presence of the other man would fuel the fantasies that were already encroaching upon his mind, offering him even greater delights once he could be alone in his room to contemplate the other's handsome face and truly wondrous body.

Chris leaned back and lit one of the cheroots the man was so fond of, sucking in a lungful of the pungent smoke before releasing the breath slowly, the smoke partially obscuring Ezra's sight of the sharp hazel-green eyes locked onto his. A tilt of the head and a tiny smile hovering over the perfect lips did nothing to ease the almost painful hardness of Ezra's erection. His eyes were drawn back those eminently kissable lips as he watched Chris take another draw from the cheroot, silently wondering what it would feel like to have those lips wrapped around something thicker, almost groaning when Chris licked the lower, tongue delving into the tiny indentation.

"Figured you might be interested in a private game, Ezra."

His voice was low and soft, barely audible over the general clamor in the saloon and Ezra laughed uneasily, all his knowledge of body language deserting him as every nerve ending screamed that Chris was proposing more than a game of poker. Yet, he had never seen Chris show any noticeable interest in another man, except maybe to size him up for the killing shot. Instead, he'd heard rumors of his beautiful dead wife, of whores like Lydia and Maria, and of Ella Gaines who deserved to rot in Josiah's Hell for all she had done to Chris.

Chris licked his lips again, eyes flicking down to Ezra's lap as that smile lifted the corners of his mouth. He stood up gracefully and walked slowly towards the back stairs, weaving between the drunks and tables with practiced ease. Ezra floundered for a moment, caught in a new game where he neither knew the rules nor the cheats. Silently cursing his current affliction, he stood carefully, arranging his jacket to cover any embarrassment and walked to the main stairs, priding himself on his semblance of normality. He unlocked his door, his hands far too practiced to fumble the key, and stepped inside, sensing the darkness move behind him as Chris stepped out of the shadow and into the room, closing the door behind him.

Ezra took a moment to cover his weakness, schooling his face to a confident smile as he turned to face Chris only to have his face taken and those desperately wanted lips sealing against his own. Chris stepped back, eyes warm yet wary.

"Just so there's no mistaking about this, Ezra."

Strong, agile fingers worked on his cravat, loosening the material and sliding it from around his neck to drop casually on the dresser, removing any remaining doubt. Ezra reached back, a quick pull unhitching the heavy black leather gun belt from the slim hips and letting it drop onto the chair. He stepped out of arms' reach, stripping off his derringer harness as he began to disrobe, barely noticing the removal of his own clothing as he watched Chris avidly, feeling his cock harden with every undone button, every new sliver of flesh exposed. He knew Chris was watching him too, those eyes darkening with desire, lips parting on harder breaths as Chris dropped his clothing onto the growing pile on the chair, toeing off boots and sliding out of the top half of his underwear, leaving him bare chested. The frayed and washed-out, partially unbuttoned union suit hung low on his narrow hips, outlining the thick curve of his erect shaft. Ezra could resist no longer, the temptation as great as any game of chance where the prize was worth its weight in gold. He reached out and let his fingers drag through the light smattering of hair on the lean but muscular chest, stepping into the strong masculine arms that felt better than any woman's. Mouths met in a crushing kiss, wanton and passionate, fingers carding through hair roughly as they sought to devour each other.

Chris hissed in a breath as Ezra groped between their close-pressed bellies, gripping the hard shaft through the thin cotton, thumb rubbing over the tip and feeling the dampness of precum seep through the worn material. He moaned as Chris ground against his hand, feeling strong fingers digging into his asscheeks as Chris dragged him forward, closer, pressing up against him from thigh to chest, mouths still caught in a needy kiss. Between the chair and the bed, they lost the last of their clothing, ending up on the feather mattress with naked limbs entwined, cocks rubbing together, precum and perspiration adding the perfect mix to ease the friction of skin against skin until Chris gasped, as quiet in this as he was in most things, heat flooding between them, triggering Ezra's own release as he cried out softly in triumph.

Ezra wasn't certain what to expect next. The few male lovers in his past had quickly cleansed themselves and dressed, slipping from his room like thieves in the night, leaving him sprawled across his bed, often with his ass still throbbing from the pleasure of being taken. He expected the same from Chris and frowned when he rinsed out the cloth in the washbasin and gently wiped the stickiness of spent seed from Ezra's belly and chest before cleaning his own sticky body. Afterwards, he stretched out on the wide bed beside Ezra and reeled him in, letting Ezra tuck his head on Chris's shoulder, drape an arm draped over his waist and a leg over his thigh. Sated and warm, he fell into a light sleep.

***

Ezra awoke just before dawn and cursed the godforsaken hour until he realized what had awoken him. The small lamp on the dresser had been lit and Ezra watched Chris's reflection in the mirror as he pulled on his last boot before turning to look back at him, face lost in the shadows as he turned from the light. Ezra leaned up casually, aware that Chris could see his face clearly despite the meager light.

"Can't stay."

"The homophobia of his modern age is truly appalling, and as I, too, am loath to find myself examined and sent to Yuma prison... or hanged..."

Chris leaned in fast and cut off Ezra's words with a kiss. "Just need to be careful, Ezra."

A thousand questions were swirling through his head but the tight purse of Chris's lips told him they had run out of time tonight.

Chris touched the side of Ezra's face, cupping the cheek in his callused palm. "Wanna do this again sometime."

Ezra nodded, for once offering no words in response, and smiled against the lips that softened against his in a final, gentle kiss. He closed his eyes as Chris left his room, spurs muffled and hearing no sound of his footsteps along the wooden flooring in the hallway.

When he awoke later to brilliant sunshine striping through the slit in the curtains, only the raw masculine scent that he would forever associate with Chris, persuaded him that what they'd shared had been real, and not all smoke and mirrors.

END


End file.
